Because sometimes the best vacation isn’t a five-star hotel. Sometimes it’s a beautiful old house, a handwritten welcome note, and a host who knows exactly where you should have dinner
There is something wonderfully intimate about a bed-and-breakfast.
Maybe it’s the architecture. Maybe it’s the breakfast. Maybe it’s the fact that somebody actually knows your name before you’ve finished your first cup of coffee.
And lately, I’ve been thinking: what if the getaway could also be a way to put money directly into the hands of Black business owners?
That’s the idea behind The Bridge, Mood Magazine’s growing cultural tourism network connecting Harlem with Black-owned hospitality businesses, destinations, cultural institutions and travelers across the country.
So, naturally, I went looking for places worth packing a weekend bag for.
And darling, I found quite a few.
THE OAK BLUFFS INN
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Let’s begin somewhere with history, sea air and just enough glamour to make you consider extending the weekend.
The Oak Bluffs Inn sits on Circuit Avenue in the heart of Oak Bluffs, one of Martha’s Vineyard’s most recognizable communities. With nine guest rooms and an apartment, the inn offers the kind of intimate hospitality that makes a destination feel less like a hotel stay and more like you’ve temporarily joined the neighborhood.
And when you’re on Martha’s Vineyard, that’s precisely the point.
Contact: bmyguest@oakbluffsinn.com
Phone: (508) 693-7171
Mood thought: Pack linen. Leave room for souvenirs.
INN OF TREASURED MEMORIES
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The name says it all, doesn’t it?
Inn of Treasured Memories is a Cape Cod escape designed around comfort, accessibility and relaxation. The property features guest rooms, a saltwater-resistant pool, elevator access, on-premises parking and wheelchair accessibility.
Because luxury isn’t just how something looks.
It’s how it makes you feel.
Contact: contact@innoftreasuredmemories.com
Phone: (508) 430-1004
Mood thought: The only itinerary required is: arrive, exhale, repeat.
QUINTESSENTIALS B&B SPA
North Fork, Long Island, New York
A former Wall Street banker becomes an innkeeper and creates a Caribbean-inspired escape in an 1830s manor surrounded by Long Island wine country.
Now that is a career pivot.
Quintessentials combines five guest rooms and suites with spa experiences, vineyards, beaches and the slower rhythm of the North Fork.
It is the sort of place that makes you wonder why anyone ever scheduled a meeting before noon.
Contact: innkeeper@quintessentialsinc.com
Phone: (631) 477-9400
Mood thought: Leave Manhattan. Keep the good taste.
ARBOR VIEW HOUSE B&B
North Fork, Long Island, New York
If Quintessentials is the sophisticated older sister, Arbor View House feels like the effortlessly chic cousin who knows the best vineyard before everyone else does.
The Victorian-style property sits in North Fork wine country and offers guest rooms, a suite and wellness-oriented amenities.
Wine country, wellness and a beautiful house?
I don’t see the problem.
Contact: Innkeeper@ArborViewHouse.com
Phone: (631) 477-8440
Mood thought: Sometimes self-care is a reservation.
BUTTONWOOD MANOR
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May has always understood the assignment: Victorian architecture, ocean air and the kind of weekend atmosphere that makes ordinary life seem unnecessarily complicated.
Buttonwood Manor adds another layer, a historic hospitality experience with a Black-owned connection worth discovering.
Contact: Akwaabainn@aol.com
Phone: (866) 466-3855
Mood thought: Romantic weekend? We aren’t saying you need one. We’re saying Cape May is ready.
DC GUESTHOUSE
Washington, D.C.
There is something wonderfully urban about a guesthouse.
DC GuestHouse offers themed accommodations near the Convention Center, putting visitors close to the energy of Washington while maintaining the intimacy of a smaller property.
And isn’t that the perfect city-trip equation?
Close to everything.
Far enough away to sleep.
Contact: info@dcguesthouse.com
Phone: (202) 332-2502
Mood thought: Democracy is exhausting. Your hotel doesn’t have to be.
DUPONT COLLECTION
Washington, D.C.
The Dupont Collection brings together a portfolio of Washington accommodations, including properties in Dupont Circle and other neighborhoods.
Which means you can choose your own D.C. mood.
Classic? Urban? Residential?
There is something particularly appealing about staying somewhere that feels connected to the neighborhood rather than simply parked inside it.
Contact: inn@theinnatdupontcircle.com
Phone: (866) 467-2100 / (202) 467-6777
Mood thought: Check in. Walk everywhere. Pretend you live there.
INTOWN UPTOWN INN
Washington, D.C.
Nine guest rooms. A central location. And the kind of neighborhood access that makes a city feel immediately more manageable.
Intown Uptown Inn is for the traveler who doesn’t want to spend their vacation figuring out how to get to the vacation.
Contact: sandy@iuinn.com
Phone: (202) 541-9400
Mood thought: The best neighborhood is the one you can actually explore.
MAGNOLIA HOUSE INN
Hampton, Virginia
Historic architecture has a way of making you slow down.
Magnolia House Inn is a historic property in Hampton, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offering an intimate stay in a city with deep historical roots.
This is the kind of trip where the building itself becomes part of the story.
Contact: stay@maghousehampton.com
Phone: (757) 722-2888
Mood thought: History is better when you can sleep inside it.
HUBBARD MANSION
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans does not do subtle.
And Hubbard Mansion doesn’t exactly whisper, either.
With suites and executive apartments, the property offers visitors a chance to experience New Orleans from a more intimate perspective.
Because in New Orleans, where you stay can be almost as important as where you eat.
Almost.
Contact: hubbardmansion@yahoo.com
Phone: (504) 897-3535
Mood thought: Bring an appetite. Leave room for jazz.
YE OLDE MANOR HOUSE
Wisconsin
A manor house. Eight guest rooms. Terraces. An indoor pool.
And, importantly for those of us who believe vegetables deserve a seat at the table, vegetarian and vegan-friendly accommodations.
A countryside escape with room to breathe?
Yes, please.
Contact: innkeeper@yeoldemanorhouse.com
Phone: (262) 742-2450
Mood thought: Your group chat doesn’t need to know you’re somewhere this peaceful.
LUNA VISTA B&B
Arizona
Arizona has a way of making you reconsider your relationship with space.
Luna Vista B&B offers multiple suite configurations, including king and queen accommodations and a family suite, along with spa and massage experiences.
It’s the sort of destination where the landscape does half the decorating.
Contact: info@lunavistabandb.com
Phone: (928) 567-4788
Mood thought: Desert views. Deep breaths. Phone on silent.
THE ELMERE HOUSE
Wells, Maine
New England has perfected the art of the getaway.
The Elmere House sits in Wells, Maine, along U.S. Route 1, offering visitors a classic coastal New England escape.
Think Maine air, charming surroundings and the delicious possibility that your biggest decision of the day might be lobster or lobster.
Contact: elmerehousebnb@gmail.com
Phone: (207) 646-4494
Mood thought: Sometimes you don’t need a passport. You need Route 1.
LA MAISON MIDTOWN
Houston, Texas
Houston is big. La Maison Midtown feels like an invitation to experience a more intimate side of the city.
Located in Midtown, the property places visitors in one of Houston’s energetic central neighborhoods while offering a boutique-style hospitality experience.
It’s a reminder that a city getaway doesn’t always require leaving the city.
Sometimes you just need to stay somewhere different.
Contact: info@lamaisonmidtown.com
Phone: 713-529-3600
Mood thought: Change your address for the weekend.
MA MARGARET’S HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
Reedville, Virginia
There are getaways, and then there are places that sound like they were named after somebody’s favorite aunt.
Ma Margaret’s House is in Reedville, Virginia, offering the kind of intimate hospitality that makes the phrase bed and breakfast feel personal again.
And sometimes that’s exactly what travel needs.
Less lobby.
More welcome.
Contact: mamhbandb@gmail.com
Additional: info@mamargaretshouse.com
Phone: (804) 453-9110
Website: mamargaretshouse.com
Mood thought: Come for the stay. Leave feeling like family.
PLEASANTON COURTYARD BED & BREAKFAST
Fayetteville, Georgia
Just outside Atlanta, Pleasanton Courtyard offers the traveler something increasingly precious:
space.
The Fayetteville property gives guests a chance to slow down while remaining within reach of the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Which makes it particularly appealing for anyone whose idea of a vacation is not another crowded hotel elevator.
Contact: innkeeper@pleasantoncourtyardbedandbreakfast.com
Phone: (770) 774-8887
Mood thought: Close enough to Atlanta. Far enough from the noise.
WHY THIS MATTERS
These aren’t simply places to sleep.
They are small businesses.
And when we stay with independent and Black-owned hospitality businesses, our travel dollars can do more than pay for a room.
They can support:
Employees.
Local suppliers.
Restaurants.
Tour operators.
Artists.
Farmers.
Neighborhood businesses.
That’s the economic bridge.
And it works in both directions.
A traveler in Harlem can discover a beautiful weekend in Virginia.
A traveler in Virginia can discover a cultural weekend in Harlem.
A visitor from London can discover both.
And suddenly the trip isn’t simply:
Harlem → destination.
It’s:
Harlem ↔ America ↔ The World.
That is the idea behind The Bridge Program, a growing cultural tourism network connecting Harlem with destinations, businesses and cultural communities near and far.
Because perhaps the future of travel isn’t about asking people to choose between destinations.
Perhaps it’s about creating relationships between them.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
If you could escape Harlem for one weekend right now, where would you go and what would you want to experience when you got there?
Tell us your destination. We may just put it on the next Mood Map.
STAY IN THE MOOD
Travel beautifully. Spend intentionally. Discover somewhere new.
Don’t just read the story. Live it.
Discover more brands, places, people, experiences and culture through Mood Magazine NYC.
Listen to WHRL Mood Radio for music, culture, conversation and stories from Harlem to the world.
Watch Mood Television for original programming, interviews, performances and conversations.
Explore Mood Map to discover the people and places making New York more beautiful.
And keep exploring the hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, destinations, artists, entrepreneurs and experiences that make life worth getting dressed for.
Read. Listen. Watch. Discover. Go.
Mood Magazine NYC
Mind. Body. Spirit. Culture. Harlem to the World.
Live Your Mood.
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